Sunset Western Garden Book

I just received my Sunset Western Garden Book and I don't know how I existed without it so long. Just for the zoning method, it is worth the price. If anyone else in the West is into serious gardening, I strongly advise getting the book. It is a real gem.

Thanks for reading this,

Chuck

Yes, it's a great reference--one of the first gardening books I picked up when I first moved here. Definitely a must-have!

I just asked someone at the nursery the other day when the new edition would be out. She thought maybe 1-1.5 years. I couldn't live without mine. A wealth of information, you're right.

It should be called Sunset Western Garden BIBLE !!!!!

Thanks, I will check this book out.
I gather it`s just one book? and not a subscription?

Dear sowmo,

Yes, it is just one book. If you search the Internet, you can find a good price. I bought mine at Amazon.com. Be sure to check all the alternatives if you can. I don't think that you will be disappointed if you get the book.

Thanks,

Chuck

jasper, i call it that too, in a strictly non blasphemous way. i at one time memorized almost every plant that thrived in my area. if you see,it is the zone i go by from my name. it is better for having a lot less frustrating gardening here

I bought an old Sunset Western Garden Book at a book sale years ago...it's from the 40's....and is very small.....nowhere near as many plant listings as the new ones......

I actually refer to the plantfiles here on DG a lot more these days.....if I can't find what I'm looking for in SWGB....

It's really interesting how, in the older Sunset Gardening Books, they reccommended DDT for just about EVERYTHING !!!!! That alone makes them collectors items !!!!

Thanks for this recommendation- I use the Sunset Site here in florida, lots of what they recommend for california is good here too, so the book would be great! Also a great Christmas gift for my friends out west! Maybe it's in the bookworm section here. Thanks much.
Amy

One caution - be sure you are getting the most recent edition of the "Western Garden Book". Sunset Publishing has many titles and there are a couple of books with very similar names - 'Western Garden Guide', for instance - that are lovely but not what we are talking about here.

My current copy was published in 2001; I don't know if there's an updated version or not.

Yes, the 2001 is the most current edition. I posted this above: "I just asked someone at the nursery the other day when the new edition would be out. She thought maybe 1-1.5 years." She actually called Sunset and asked and this is what they told her.

I got my very first hand me down WGB from my Mom. I still have it and every edition since. Yes, a must have. I'm a rookie and have worn the latest edition almost out.
A WGB and a subscription to DG and I'm all set!!
Brian

This is an excellent first gardening book for almost anyone. I replace mine about every 5-7 years. Even though I have a fairly large botanical library of my own, I still find myself referring to it on a regular basis, especially as a starting point. And if you're the type to carry your book around with you, you'll find it's pretty durable and not too expensive to replace if you really mess it up. I also don't feel at all guilty about marking it up, which I would NEVER do with any of my other books.

I've never known why someone didn't write an "Eastern Garden Book" or a "Midwestern Garden Book" too. Does anyone know if there's an equivalent for these areas?

Marilyn

Sunset also owns Southern Living and I think through that they've published one for the South. Not sure if they've expanded much beyond that though...I know they've created climate zones for the entire country but I'm not sure if there are books except for us and the south.

I've found one indication of a "serious" nursery or garden department is that they have their own copy of the Western Garden Guide on hand for customer reference, LOL!

After the Lane family sold Sunset, the company that bought it made plans to expand publishing Garden Books for all regions of the country. I think they have completed the Southern and Northeast, but not the Midwest yet.

Amazon.com lists the new 8th edition of the Western Garden Book with a FEBRUARY 2007 publishing date, so we should see it in stores in a couple months. Maybe sooner? Yay!

Back in the Jurassic Age, when I attended my first ornamental horticulture class the Sunset Western Garden book was assigned as one of our text books.

I still often refer to it when I need to pare down a planting plan or need a quick reference , but more times than not I reach for Flora over Sunset.
Another positive attribute of Flora is that it weighs about 20 pounds and one can work on their abs while doing office research work. Plus the photo images are far superior to Sunset's monochromatic artist drawings.

For for quick reference and modestly covered information , the Sunset book is a great affordable resource.

I agree about the pics in Sunset, if they would do real photos instead of the drawings it would be the absolute best gardening book in the world (maybe the 2007 version will address that? We could always hope!) I used the Sunset book a ton when I first moved to CA and didn't know much about the plants, now I often use other references first because they have better pics, but then always check Sunset because I trust their climate zones much more than the USDA ones.

Dear Deviant Designer,

I have never had a horticulture class. They don't offer them in our area but I wish that they would. Instead, I will take a class in Botany if they offer it this Spring. I am sure that the book, Flora, is very good. I think that for the time being I will stick to the Western Garden Book. Actually, I would like to say thanks because I have never heard of Flora until your email. I find that all of gardening is a process of learning.

Thanks for sharing,

Chuck

This message was edited Nov 16, 2006 9:02 PM

Flora is a good book, but can be spendy for many people. It's 2 volumes, plus a CD and a Garden Journal. Weighs over 20 lbs.! I was able to purchase a barely used copy yesterday for $65, thanks to DD for reminding me once again that I needed to do so. Here are the details if anyone's interested:

Hogan, Sean, Flora: A Gardener's Encyclopedia, ISBN 0881925381, Timber Press, Portland, OR, 2003.

There's also a CD which purports to contain all of the info in the book and CD:

Hogan, Sean, Flora: A Gardener's Encyclopedia, ISBN 0881926248, Timber Press, Portland, OR, 2004.

Best place to find both is at www.bookfinder.com

Whenever I see a vintage gardening book I pick it up. I have 3 of the first editions of Western Garden Book. I just love the cover graphics. Copyright 1954

I assume the Sunset Flower Garden Book was the precursor to the Western Garden Book. It is copyright 1947 but I have only ever found one from the 5th printing, 1950.

Sadly the cover is so bland but the contents are very similar with emphasis on Pacific Southwest, Pacific Central and Pacific Northwest gardening.

Kell,
I think I also have both of those tucked away in my books somewhere, although my favorite one is the one that I've written all the notes in regarding bits of info added to each description,etc. All those pieces of info that you run across in different articles and such. The best place for me to keep it all together was in my Sunset Book.

Kell, WC...those are the same ones I have !!!!